


Deleted Scene 3: Internal Diatribe

by paladin_cleric_mage



Series: I Want to Break Free [6]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:27:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26311873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paladin_cleric_mage/pseuds/paladin_cleric_mage
Summary: Corresponds to Chapters 48, 49
Series: I Want to Break Free [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1419694
Kudos: 4





	Deleted Scene 3: Internal Diatribe

Light drenched counter, engaged in the sun’s seating over tops of trees. Artificial Renaissance. They were raking grass away from earth like roadburn revealing flesh’s raw color when the Byers’ arrived home. The heat tasted different than New York’s and Will was a person he didn’t know, directing Lucas to the shed for an axe so he could split wood from a castle culled years ago, under darker skies. He hadn’t consulted Jonathan about this. Why would he, when they’d never been brothers but victims of the same devil? Then father and son, and Will is  fourteen now. Rebellion dogs the adolescent’s every step during the transition-- or so Jonathan has heard, because his own rebellion wasn’t. His adolescence is nearly through and all he has to show is a five foot three hole governed by a chandelier heart dripping opiated acid.

In his room he forgets who he is, and who Steve is, and what horrors he was told. Mom enters with a plate of grease destined to congeal on the nightstand, doesn’t she know this? She loves him and he hates her happiness, her unwavering acceptance of him. His moods. His masks. She leaves and his headphones provide a false sense of solitude, so that when Will swings the door open, eyes wet, he startles.

Their eyes meet and Will-- shirtless, comparatively worn-- chokes out a stifled-sob apology. Jonathan has heard this before and so says nothing. He watches Will lay down, pull a blanket over his bare shoulders, and shiver himself to sleep.

  
  



End file.
